Agroforestry: Traditions, Transformations and Prospects Focus on Asia and Africa

The South and Southeast Asian region is often described as the cradle of agroforestry in recognition of its long history of the practice of an array of systems under diverse agroecological conditions. Similarly in African continent trees and shrubs play an important role in protecting the environment. The multitude of systems that have evolved in both regions over centuries reflect the accrued wisdom and adaptation strategies of millions of smallholder farmers to meet their basic needs of food, fuelwood, fodder, plant-derived medicines, and cash income in the wake of increasing demographic pressure and decreasing land availability in South and Southeast Asia and degradation of the environment in Africa. Prominent examples of agroforestry in Asia and Africa include multifunctional homegardens, which promote food security and diversity; woody perennial-based systems furthering employment avenues and rural industrialization; fodder trees and silvipatoral systems favoring resource conservation; and tree-dominated habitats, which sustain agrobiodiversity and promote climate change mitigation.

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